Fog of War
by Zhang Liao
Summary: This is a "choose your own adventure." You are the main character and your choices will decide who you fight for and how the story will progress. Good luck in your quest to unify China!
1. Default Chapter

This story is a "choose your own adventure." Rather than reading it through chronologically, start with chapter 1 and follow the instructions at the end of every chapter.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
You're decision had been made two weeks earlier when the forces of Wu and Shu clashed in your home town of Jing Zhou, but still your mother pleaded with you. "You mustn't go," she said, tears streaming from her tired, weary eyes. "You are my only child. How am I to cope alone? The village is ruined from the assault by those ruthless armies, and now you wish to join them? Please, reconsider!"  
  
You turn you head away, unable to see your mother in such distress. It was the hardest decision you had ever made, one that left you questioning whether it had been the right choice. China was at war and if soldiers such as yourself stayed out of it, it would only drag on longer. China had to be restored to one rule so that peace would once again reign. It was the only conclusion. It was the only thing that would prevent atrocities like the one that leveled Jing Zhou, killing thousands.  
  
"I'm sorry mother," you reply at last, holding back tears of your own. "When at last peace is restored, I will come back for you, I promise." You pull your hand away from her and walk slowly off toward where your steed is tied up.  
  
"Who will you join though?" She asked, coming up beside the magnificent animal as you mount. "Surely not Shu or Wu, since they were the ones that caused such destruction here."  
  
Who will you join?  
  
If you wish to join Shu, go to Chapter 2. If you wish to join Wei, go to Chapter 3. If you wish to join Wu, go to Chapter 4. 


	2. Chapter 2

This story is a "choose your own adventure." Rather than reading it through chronologically, start with chapter 1 and follow the instructions at the end of every chapter.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Looking down at your mother one last time, you reply, "I do not believe the devastation was caused by the Shu troops. They were merely trying to protect their land from the invading Wu soldiers. I have heard rumors of the Shu Emperor's kindness, and I am going there to find out for myself if the rumors are true."  
  
With that, you turn your horse away and begin trotting down the road, away from the destruction and away from the mother who has cared for you always. When you reach the bend in the road, you stop to turn back, but see that she is no longer there. You bow your head and promise, "I will return mother, I promise."  
  
Several days' travel was not a difficult challenge for a man of your caliber, but coming upon Yi Ling in your journey, you see that it too had been ravaged by the war between Shu and Wu. The entire town looked desolate.  
  
You approach wearily, unsure what to expect. There was a good chance that the inhabitants had fled, leaving a perfect breeding group for thieves and bandits. As you enter the gates of the city, suddenly an arrow slams into your shoulder, knocking you from your steed and penetrating deep into your flesh.  
  
You cry out in pain as a group of robbers come out of the shadows and surround you. "Well well, look what we have here," the leader of the group says, smiling ear to ear, revealing his rotten, yellow teeth as he approaches you. "And to what do we owe this great honor?" He asks, his hand coming down to grab you.  
  
Suddenly, a rider on horseback is seen coming up behind him swiftly, and before you can make out who it is, they swing down a massive spear, knocking the bandit leader away from you. You get up and see the man who has saved your life. Long, flowing black hair wipes around his youthful face and angular features. Surely, this is no ordinary man.  
  
You pull your sword with your good arm as the bandits come rushing at you and the rider spins his horse around to come back for a second pass. It is a vicious fight, one that you would certainly not be able to win was it not for the mysterious horseman. At last, the last of the bandits is killed and the rider dismounts and approaches you.  
  
"Good traveler," he says, "we must hurry back to my camp, for that arrow wound will certainly become worse if we do not remove it properly." And so, you go with the man back to his camp. As you ride, you learn that his name is Zhao Yun and that he is a General for the Shu Emperor Liu Bei.  
  
After the arrow is removed, you go with Zhao Yun and tell him all about yourself and how you fought in the Yellow Turban Rebellion to protect the Han and how your village had been destroyed weeks prior, prompting you to join the war and help Shu unify the land. Over a hot meal, Zhao Yun tells of his master's kindness and how his cause is just.  
  
The next day, the two of you set off for Cheng Du and are immediately taken into the presence of the Shu Emperor. He stands from his throne, ecstatic to see his General and meet his new guest. "I vouch for this traveller's integrity and valor my lord," Zhao Yun says. "They will surely make an exellent addition to our force."  
  
Liu Bei agrees and then says to you, "Now is not the time to be lax, as much as I wish it were so. Wei remains a constant threat, even more so than Wu, whose viciousness you yourself have already experienced. I am sending Zhao Yun to Han Zhong to protect the city, but I am also looking for someone to go to Chang An and find a man named Ma Chao who my Prime Minister says will make another excellent addition to our force. In which of these missions do you wish to participate to prove your worth?"  
  
What will you do?  
  
If you wish to join Zhao Yun in the protection of Han Zhong, go to Chapter 5. If you wish to go to Chang An and find the man named Ma Chao, go to Chapter 6. 


	3. Chapter 3

This story is a "choose your own adventure." Rather than reading it through chronologically, start with chapter 1 and follow the instructions at the end of every chapter.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"Shu and Wu have proven their true natures when they destroyed our city," you say to her quickly and with a definite edge in your voice. "I am going to see Cao Cao, the one true ruler of China in order to offer my services to a man who will not destory entire cities in the name of peace."  
  
You turn your horse and walk away from your home, the determination in your heart growing stronger with each step. As you round the bend, you do not look back at the mother who you know still stands upon the road, waiting in vain for her only child to have a change of heart and come back. "I promise you mother," you whisper under your breath. "When Shu and Wu have been obliterated, I will return."  
  
Upon reaching Xu Chang, you are taken into the Imperial Palace under the "protection" of a dozen armed guards. After waiting almost an hour to enter the Emperor's courtroom, you are finally informed that the ruler will not be accepting any more guests for the day. "You will have to come by again tomorrow," a minister informs you.  
  
You are quite disheartened that your request for an audience was denied, but you head for the front of the palace, again under escort, ready to try again the next day. Before you can reach the front though, a man stops the entourage and dismisses the guards. "I will take responsibility for this guest," he tells them. The man is a fierce looking warrior, with a patch upon his left eye.  
  
When the guards leave, you are taken quickly to a room in the palace. Without introducing himself, the man says, "Quickly, tell me who you are." Unsure if the man can be trusted, you begin to explain your story.  
  
"I was a General under the Imperial banner as the Han fought against the Yellow Turban rebellion. After our victory, I went back to Jing Zhou to live and take care of my mother, but several weeks ago the armies of Shu and Wu clashed near our city, destroying everything in their paths. I have come here to Xu Chang with an offer to join Cao Cao should he so desire my services."  
  
The man thinks about what you have said carefully, eyeing you with his one good eye. Finally, he introduces himself. "My name is Xiahou Dun, I am one of Cao Cao's top Generals and in fact, I am his cousin. This is most opportune that I have been allowed to speak with you before you were dragged into the politics of this wicked dynasty."  
  
You are shocked at the man's remark and make no attempt to hide it. "Do not get me wrong," he says quickly upon seeing your reaction. "I am completely loyal to Cao Cao - it is his ministers that I despise. One man in particular, Guo Jia, has been filling our lord's head with dangerous ideas and I believe that Cao Cao is being manipulated by this man of words."  
  
"And what do you want with me?" You ask, not knowing if the man is to be believed.  
  
"I have been plotting to take out this man, Guo Jia, and thus save our lord from his manipulations. His influence within the palace is strong though because he directly controls the treasury. I can only trust someone from outside with a mission of this magnitude."  
  
Will you join Xiahou Dun in the assassination attempt on Guo Jia?  
  
If you wish to join him, go to Chapter 7. If you wish to inform Cao Cao of his plan instead, go to Chapter 8. 


	4. Chapter 4

This story is a "choose your own adventure." Rather than reading it through chronologically, start with chapter 1 and follow the instructions at the end of every chapter.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"I have thought long and hard about which side to join," you tell your mother, "but at last I have decided to join Sun Jian and his Wu Dynasty. With the vast resources of the Southland, I believe they have the greatest chance of unifying the land and although they were the ones to attack Jing Zhou, I believe that their actions were justifiable."  
  
You turn your steed and head off down the road away from the city. Before going over the hill, you turn your steed and look back. You mother still stands upon the road where you left here, a tiny figure against the ruins of a once great city. At that moment your heart breaks, but you know you must be strong. "I will return mother," you say to yourself. "I promise."  
  
After traveling for about a week, you finally come upon Jian Ye and find it to be a most beautiful city. The people are warm and friendly and seem to be completely oblivious to the fact that the rest of China is at war. "This place," you say, "Untouched by war or despair. I should have brought my mother here to live." You go into the city and approach the palace there that belongs to the Sun family.  
  
You are invited right in and your renown as a great general of the Yellow Turban Rebellion wins you an immediate audience with Sun Jian. You meet him out on his garden overlooking the Chang Jiang river where he and his sons are eating dinner. He rises from his seat and invites you to join them. "Your reputation has proceeded you young one," Sun Jian says smiling warmly at you, "and it is a great honor to finally meet you."  
  
"The honor is all mine, I assure you," you answer back. Immediately, you feel at home among the Suns and you know that you have made the right decision in joining them. After dinner, you go along with Sun Jian and his two sons go for a stroll through the garden. Sun Jian retires for the night, but you and Sun Ce and Sun Quan continue walking through the garden.  
  
After some time, Sun Ce says to you, "Your skills as a fighter are as well known as your skills as a tactician. I too have longed to meet you, but for different reasons from my father's." You stop and turn to him. His manner seems to have completely changed from earlier. No longer does he possess the caring nature of his father that he displayed at dinner.  
  
"And what reasons are those?" You ask hesitantly.  
  
Sun Ce walks over to a sidewall where vast collections of weapons are held. He takes down two swords and holds one out for you. "I've always wondered if you are as good as they say you are." You stand there, staring at Sun Ce, who now looks at you challengingly. "Would you care to spar?"  
  
Do you accept Sun Ce's friendly duel?  
  
If you accept, go to Chapter 9 If you do not accept, go to Chapter 10 


	5. Chapter 5

This story is a "choose your own adventure." Rather than reading it through chronologically, start with chapter 1 and follow the instructions at the end of every chapter.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"Zhao Yun saved my life not a week ago," you reply to the Shu Emperor. "I will go with him to Han Zhong so that I might be able to do the same for him."  
  
"Very well," Liu Bei replies. "You two will depart immediately for the front. I am trusting you both to protect the most important city of Han Zhong from a Wei attack. If we were to lose there, Cheng Du would be vulnerable to Cao Cao. Good luck my Generals."  
  
You and Zilong leave the courtroom and as you do, you turn him him and say, "Together, we will repel any attack. Of that, I am sure."  
  
He smiles at you. "If I did not know your history, I would have taken you for a man who knew nothing of war. Knowing of your experience against the Yellow Turbans though, I am quite confident in placing my trust in you. Your enthusiasm for Liu Bei's cause is quite commendable. I hope that when we return here to Liu Bei I will be able to tell him that the valor of your actions matched the confidence of your speech."  
  
He shows you to your quarters where you will be staying for the night and says to you before he leaves, "We depart at dawn. Sleep well, for it may be the last bit of peaceful rest that you get for a long time."  
  
Go to chapter 11 


	6. Chapter 6

This story is a "choose your own adventure." Rather than reading it through chronologically, start with chapter 1 and follow the instructions at the end of every chapter.  
  
Chapter 6  
  
"I know the importance of gaining powerful allies," you reply to Liu Bei. "I will leave at once for Chang An and bring this man Ma Chao to you. Hopefully, the quality of this stranger's skill will accord with your minister's expectations."  
  
Liu Bei smiles at you, quite astounded with your forthrightness. "I assure you that my Prime Minister's expectations will be met. When you meet Zhuge Liang and understand his ability to foresee the future, you will agree with me. Hurry though in your mission. No time can be wasted."  
  
You leave that very day for Chang An, and upon reaching the city limits, you begin asking around about the man named Ma Chao. After an hour of this invesigation, you are suddenly surrounded outside the city tavern by soldiers and placed under arrest.  
  
"I demand to know the charges against me," you say, backing away and trying to determine if you can escape from the small detachment of soldiers.  
  
"You've been snooping around in the wrong city stranger," the leader of the soldiers replies in a rough voice. "Do not try to escape," he says as if reading your very thoughts. "You are completely surrounded."  
  
Sure enough, you turn around to look and see even more soldiers coming around the corner of the tavern. There is no escape. You allow yourself to tied up and put in the back of a jailer's carriage and taken to the city's palace.  
  
After waiting in a prison cell for over and hour, you are finally taken to the palace's courtroom, which is set up more like a war room, than a place to conduct court. "This is the man who's been snooping around," the guard says to a certain young man who had previously been looming over a map of the region, plotting a military campaign.  
  
"What do you have to say for yourself?" The man asks, coming forward from the group of men he was surrounded by. Immeditately, you can tell that the young man is no ordinary person. His eyes contain some unknown fierceness, like the eyes of a predator on the hunt. His armor is like that of some mythologic creature, gold from head to toe.  
  
"Ma Chao," you say, realizing immediately that this is the man who you were sent to find. You tell him your name and then explain to him why you had come. "My lord, Liu Bei, has heard rumors of your prowess and skill in battle. Though he has only recently settled into Cheng Du and declared a kingdom of his own, he is a man of integrity and honor - a man truely worthy to be served. I have come to ask you to join him in his struggle to restore the Han."  
  
Without hesitating, Ma Chao responds, "I know of this man Liu Bei, and at once time I would have jumped at the chance to serve one such as he. Events have transpired though that have altered the nature of my desires. Restoring China no longer concerns me... My only goal in this life is to extract revenge against that most detestable tyrant known as Cao Cao."  
  
"Your desires match those of my lord's," you say quickly hoping to change his mind.  
  
"Than let him follow me," Ma Chao shoots back, anger distorting the youthful features of his face. Obviously, there would be no changing this man's mind. Quiet for a moment, Ma Chao composes himself and than says, "You serve your master well stranger, and I can tell that indeed, Liu Bei is skilled at attracting able men. Perhaps, if circumstances were different, I could have aquired you for myself, but I will not insult you by asking you to join me."  
  
He turns away, but it is quite apparent to you that it was his way of asking you if you would join him in his battle against Cao Cao. Ma Chao was obviously in the last stages of planning an all out offensive against Cao Cao. You think for a moment of what you should do. Liu Bei's kindness was what drew you to him and if you left now, you would still be able to join up with Zhao Yun in Han Zhong. But in this young man, you sense a determination and single-minded focus that you truely admire. You've made your decision...  
  
Will you join Ma Chao?  
  
If you wish to leave Ma Chao and go to Han Zhong to help Zhao Yun instead, go to Chapter 11  
  
If you wish to abandon Shu for now and join Ma Chao against Cao Cao, go to Chapter 12 


	7. Chapter 7

This story is a "choose your own adventure." Rather than reading it through chronologically, start with chapter 1 and follow the instructions at the end of every chapter.  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Trusting the man, the quickly agree. "Since you are the cousin of the Emperor, I believe that you have his best interests in mind," you say to Xiahou Dun. "I will help you get rid of this manipulative counselor."  
  
"And you will be greatly rewarded by Cao Cao once he is free of Guo Jia's manipulations," he says back. "Now, we must not waste any time. We will act tonight. This is what we will do..."  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
You sneak out into the hallway and pear down the dark corridors. No movement is visable, so you move out slowly, feeling your way through the darkness. Your heart beats faster with every step as you move closer and closer to Guo Jia's chamber.  
  
Never in your life had you participated in such underhanded dealings, and you couldn't decide if what you felt was fear or excitement. Probably, it was a little of both. Closer and closer to draw to the man's chamber - the man you had never even seen before. You repeat the plan to yourself over and over, as if Xiahou Dun's voice still rung in your head perfectly clear.  
  
After killing Guo Jia, you were to meet Xiahou Dun in the garden so that you could both escape for a time and Cao Cao could realize that Guo Jia's death had infact been a blessing in disguise. Only then would the two of you return trimphantly to Xu Chang and admit that it was you who had saved Wei from internal disaster.  
  
At last, you reach the chamber door. Slowly, you open the door and pass through into more darkness. No noise could be heard except the gentle breathing of someone upon the bed. You inch your way toward the sound, the pounding of your heart becoming almost deafening in your ears.  
  
You draw your dagger at the last moment and reach it into the air. This is it...  
  
Suddenly, you are grabbed from behind and lifted into the air by your coat sleeve. The room is filled with noise and suddenly, torches everywhere burst to life, flooding the room with light. There are soldier's everywhere... It's a trap!!  
  
You are thrown onto a chair and tied down. After being struck across the face, you look up and see the captain of the guard, hovering over you. He is pushed out of the way though by a young counselor. "Do you know who I am?" The man asks.  
  
"No sir... There has been some sort of mistake..."  
  
The guard captain reaches around the minister and strikes you in the face again, busting your lip. Suddenly, a barely recognizable Xiahou Dun is pushed forward from the group of guards behind them. His face is swollen and bloody. "How about him," the minister asks. "Do you know who he is?"  
  
You are too shocked to reply. You had made a terrible mistake... And there was nothing you could do. "Kill him," the minister said. Thinking that he meant you, you shut your eyes tight, and hear a sickening sound. Wetness splashed across your face and you open your eyes to see a decapitated Xiahou Dun at your feet.  
  
You struggle against your restraints now, but it is useless. The minister, no doubt Guo Jia himself, moves toward the door to leave. "What do you want us to do with this one?" The guard captain asks before he passes through the door.  
  
"I don't know," he answers. "Be creative." The guard captain smiles at this answer. With that, Guo Jia walks out the door, leaving you behind.. Your fate in the hands of the bald and muscular guard captain.  
  
The end. 


	8. Chapter 8

This story is a "choose your own adventure." Rather than reading it through chronologically, start with chapter 1 and follow the instructions at the end of every chapter.  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Immediately, you sense that the man cannot be trusted, but the only way to escape him would be to lie. "I will join you," you say quickly. He is surprised by your answer, but quickly describes the plot to you. He wants you to kill Guo Jia and then meet him in the garden outside of the palace so that together you can escape blame. Then, after Cao Cao has realized that Guo Jia's death is a blessing in disguise, the two of you will return.  
  
He shows you to a room where you are to wait until the second watch of the night, but after he leaves you, you rush off toward a guard post. To a large, bald man at the post, you exclaim, "The minister's life is in danger!"  
  
He stands up from his chair, surprised to see a stranger in the palace. Taking hold of your arm, he demands to know who you are. You tell him everything, about how you had come to see Cao Cao, but were intercepted by Xiahou Dun and told to kill Guo Jia for him.  
  
"I don't believe a word of it," the man says, "but I will take you to Cao Cao myself. Only a fool would make up something like this." He takes you, quite forcefully, to Cao Cao's chamber.  
  
"Dian Wei," Cao Cao says, looking up from his desk where he is working. "What are you doing here?"  
  
The guard captain holds you forward so that Cao Cao can get a good look at you. "This intruder came to my post with a message about your cousin."  
  
Cao Cao, quite intrigued at this, stands up and walks over to you. Looking straight into your eyes, he asks you what Dian Wei means. Again, you explain everything and then wait to see if Cao Cao will believe you. He thinks for a while and then says, "If what you say is true, than I have been betrayed by my own flesh and blood. If what you say is a lie... Than you will suffer a fate far worse than death." He turns around and grabs a cloak from off a hanger and then moves to the door. "Follow me."  
  
Dian Wei pushes you forward after Cao Cao and after assembling a detachment of one hundred soldiers, you all go out to the garden. Suddenly, you realize that you will only be believed if Xiahou Dun holds up his part of the bargain and is there in the garden waiting. If he isn't... You will never be believed.  
  
No one is in the garden, so Cao Cao orders his soldiers to hide and he along with you and Dian Wei, hide together among the bushes not far from the meeting spot and await Xiahou Dun's arrival.  
  
With each passing moment, you grow more and more terrified. Dian Wei's grip on your shoulder is becoming more intense as if he himself is coming to believe that the whole story is a lie. You start to wonder if you can somehow escape his grip and the one hundred soldiers that lie in wait...  
  
Finally though, a movement is seen in the shadows across the garden. In the feint light of the moon, you see a hooded figure emerge from he darkness and step out into the middle of the garden. "It's him," you whisper.  
  
Suddenly, Cao Cao gives the signal and the soldier's rush out and grab the hooded figure. He struggles against them, but cannot escape. Cao Cao walks out after the man is bound. "Take his hood off," he tells the guards.  
  
The pull back his hood and reveal the man's face - It's Xiahou Dun!  
  
"Cousin," he says quickly. "I can explain everything to you. This man," he says, pointing to you with his eyes, "He told me to meet him out here and was going to try and get me to betray you..." He is desperate and incoherent. The guilt seems to ooze out of every pore in his body.  
  
"Betrayed," Cao Cao says forcefully, cutting him off. "Betrayed by my own cousin!" He pulls his sword from it's sheath and raises it high above his head.  
  
Xiahou Dun makes one bloodcurdling scream before the blade falls down and slices cleanly through his neck. The body collapses to the ground as the head rolls away. Without saying another word, Cao Cao drops his sword and walks away toward the palace.  
  
"What should I do about the prisoner?" Dian Wei asks him.  
  
"Hold him until tomorrow," Cao Cao replies, and then disappears into the shadows.  
  
--------------------------------------  
  
The next day, you are taken from your holding cell and taken into Cao Cao's presence. In his court room, he looks completely different from the night before. He is not adorned in the finest gown and covered in precious jewels.  
  
Dian Wei removes your chains and then forces you to kneel before stepping back. "Tell the court your name," Cao Cao states.  
  
You do so, rising from the ground and looking up at the Emperor. You have no idea what is about to happen. You could be killed, or asked to join him. Neither decision would have surprised you. Nothing was certain - not after what transpired the day before.  
  
"Rather than join my cousin in his scheme to control the court," Cao Cao says, "you have proved yourself worthy and loyal to me though we had never met. Yesterday, you came here to offer your services, but already you have served me more than any other man. I would be humbled if you would join me in my quest to reunify China."  
  
For once in your life, you are at a lose for words. After some time, you manage to say simply, "Thank you my lord. I will not let you down."  
  
"I am quite certain now that you will not. You risked your life for mine, proving your loyalty and now - you will again prove your worth, this time on the battlefield. I am sending you with a force of 10,000 soldiers to capture a city of your choosing. If you succeed, you will be raised above all others in Wei by becoming the Supreme Commander of my forces."  
  
Now, more surprised than before, words truly fail you. You bow reverently at your new lord and master.  
  
"Shu and Wu prove equal in their threat to me," Cao Cao continues. "I will leave it up to you to decide which of them should be attacked first. The strategic points that we will need to capture in order to defeat them are He Fei and Han Zhong."  
  
Which city will you attack?  
  
If you decide to attack Shu at Han Zhong, go to Chapter 13  
  
If you decide to attack Wu at He Fei, go to Chapter 14 


End file.
